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Last week the New Balance 574 made a triumphant return in its OG grey tone to celebrate Grey Day. Lovers of the beloved silhouette made their way to The Yard in Shoreditch to commemorate the iconic colourways return in its original grey colourway.
As part of their global Grey Day event on 15th March, 2018 the brand hosted Ewen Spencer photograph exhibition that featured unique photography from the renowned culture photographer which included original shots of music artists including Jesse James Solomon, Conducta and Flohio, which showcased each of the individuals’ depiction of style wearing the New Balance 574.
DJ sets were served up courtesy of Mike Skinner and DJ duo Star. One. Samantha Matthews, Senior marketing manager of New Balance UK & Ireland said, “The 574 is more than just a silhouette to New Balance; it is a milestone in our brand’s history and a symbol of where we are today, which we are incredibly proud of. “Grey represents the enduring legacy of the original shoe that is still just as relevant today as when it was released back in the 1980s, so for us, Grey Day was all about bringing together people who could embody that legacy to create a truly iconic experience for all those who attended.
Check out the video above for some highlights.
UNDERCOVER X NIKE WAFFLE RACER
Fashion brand UNDERCOVER have served up a first look at their forthcoming Nike collaboration. The noteworthy reveal their Paris showroom was the Nike Waffle Racer collaboration. The beloved model is presented in three clean colorways that range from turquoise, red and navy.
The uppers are swathed in a familiar mixture of quilted nylon and suede that maintains that retro look while the extended heel clip is dipped in a matching colour and finished with white speckles.
There’s no release info for these as of yet, although it is expected to launch as part of their 2019 collection. Stay tuned for more release information as we get it.
PACKER X ADIDAS EQT 91/18
Packer Shoes has linked up with Adidas Consortium on this forthcoming Adidas EQT collaboration which draws its influence from the trails of the great outdoors.
This iteration of the EQT 91/18 is the second pair from their stellar collaboration between the two. Moving away from the rugged looking finish of the previous pair this model has a more refined look that features a wool-blend Primeknit upper sat atop an all black Boost midsole.
The EQT 91/18 will first drop in a super limited release at Packer Shoes, store’s and packershoes.com Saturday, Sept. 29 and pairs will drop at select retailers after, let us know what you think of this drop in the comments below.
KANYE SHARES FIRST LOOK AT YEEZY BSKTBL SNEAKER
In between Kanye West’s random posts on his reignited Instagram account something special popped up today. The artist has posted what appears to be the first look at his debut Yeezy BSKTBL model. While his IG is littered with some lookbook images that no one has really been talking about, the above image has caused a considerable stir as this is the silhouette that will herald his foray into the Basketball performance sneakers.
There are no details on the model as of yet apart from what you see above. The model boasts hits of 3M on the heel and tongue. as well as a translucent midsole.
Stay tuned to Crepjunkie.com for more updates.
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February sales fall for first time in 13 months
BOSTON — February home sales in Connecticut declined for the first time in more than a year as demand outstripped supply and the shortage drove median prices higher, according to the Warren Group. Condo sales also slipped.
Single-family home sales statewide dropped to 1,149 units, down 7.7 percent from the 1,245 units sold during the same month in 2012. It was the first decline since December 2011.
"Two factors caused this modest drop in February: low inventory and a comparison with a strong previous year of sales," said CEO Timothy M. Warren Jr. "Even so, I'm still hopeful for a strong spring market. As more sellers list their homes in the spring, activity will pick back up."
To date in 2013, single-family home sales are down nearly two percent from a year ago. Statewide, 2,542 transactions were executed in the first two months in the year, down from 2,577 during the equivalent period in 2012.
Median prices rose more than seven percent in February to $225,000 from $210,000 in 2012. The year-to-date median home price is also up about seven percent — from $210,000 a year ago to $225,000 in 2013.
February condominium sales fell in Connecticut to the lowest sales level in two years. There were 306 condo sales in February, down almost 11 percent from 343 sales during the same month of 2013.
According to Warren, this is the lowest level of sales since February 2011, when there were 302 transactions statewide. Year-to-date condo sales are up modestly, rising slightly less than two percent to 720 from 706 last year.
The median price for condos sold statewide in February declined almost ten percent to $139,516, down from $155,000 during the same month last year.
The median selling price for condos sold in January and February was $155,000, unchanged from the median price recorded a year ago.

domain: news


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New track shoes for the Tokyo Olympics and women specific S-Phyre added to 2020 footwear range
There’s snow on the ground? Great. That just means things are more interesting. In a nutshell, that’s what Diadora’s Polarex Plus boots are all about.
According to Shimano, the brand’s new RP9 shoes — for “road performance” — are “designed to bridge the gap between competitive level performance and new road cyclists,” with efficient power transfer and breezy comfort.
To mark 25 years of Shimano’s clipless SPD technology, the brand has released a limited-edition shoe and pedal combination for aggressive trail riding.
Giant has long been known as a leader in cycling, but not necessarily for cycling shoes. This week, the company announced their first foray into that world.
Shimano has announced several new cycling-specific shoes to its line of footwear. With that lineup now totaling 71 models, designed for different uses, there’s something for every rider.


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Rap fans can now (legally) listen to Eminem’s new album, The Marshall Mathers LP 2, a full 4 days before its scheduled release exclusively on iTunes Radio. In the past, iTunes simply provided on-demand playback of the early albums in their entirety from the Artist’s page, but now it’s providing the streams through a ‘First Play’ station on its new iTunes Radio service in the US.
The album was recently released ahead of schedule via BitTorrent which may have hastened the move to iTunes Radio.
It looks like all Apple’s future album streams will also land in the new iTunes Radio ‘First Play’ station. Earlier this year Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue told Entertainment Weekly that Apple would leverage iTunes Radio for the premiere streams.
This year, iTunes has been successful in converting streaming album premieres into impressive pre-orders and sales, how much influence did that have on iTunes Radio?
We’re leveraging it. For example there’s a Justin Timberlake album that’s on iTunes Radio as of [last Thursday] for the first time, so the first time we ever premiered an album on there. We certainly knew we would leverage it for iTunes Radio but the primary key to iTunes Radio was to create it custom for you. When you’re talking premiering song, what we’re doing iTunes Festival-wise, we knew iTunes Radio was a perfect place for that so it’s perfect alignment
Labels and artists hope that the free streams will help combat leaks of the album ahead of its official release and also translate into increased preorders by driving users to iTunes.
Eminem is a 13-time Grammy winner and has sold over 220 million albums worldwide. His new CD is easily one of most anticipated albums of the year. The deluxe version includes 21 tracks with blockbuster appearances by Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar, and Nate Ruess (from the band FUN). The album has already produced three chart-topping singles: The Monster, Survival Berzerk, and Rap God. Pre-orders are priced at $15.99 and include immediate downloads of the aforementioned singles.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.


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Watch breaking news videos and read news updates about Hospira Inc. on Crain's Chicago Business
Hospira prevails in patent battle over drug for flesh-eating infections
Cubist Pharmaceuticals lost a bid to block Hospira from offering a generic version of its top-selling Cubicin beyond 2016.
Jury slams Hospira with $10 million verdict
A Lake County jury awarded almost $10 million to a former Hospira employee, finding that the company fired him because he raised concerns that it covered up quality and safety issues with a product.
Is Durbin hurting Illinois by bashing corporate-tax avoiders?
remark after the drugmaker announced plans for an inversion. And he fired a warning shot at Lake Forest-based Hospira Inc. when word leaked that the company was considering an inversion.While most business leaders are sophisticated enough to
Crain's 2014 Chicago MBA Guide
information systemsNotable alumni: Ralph de la Vega, AT&T Mobility; Tim Jerzyk, Yum Brands Inc.; Christopher Begley, Hospira Inc.; Mark Sieron, Middleby Marshall; Michael Altendorf, Do It Best HardwareOn-campus recruitment: Allstate Corp
That tough talk on corporate tax dodges? Never mind
Horizon Pharma, Inc., North Chicago-based Abbvie Inc. ( an Abbott spinoff), and possibly Lake Forest-based Hospira Inc., if it can find the right dance partner. As the potential hit to federal tax revenues grows, so has anger in the
Durbin to Hospira: Don't make a move
forget about moving its headquarters abroad to save on taxes. This time, Mr. Durbin's target is Lake Forest-based Hospira Inc., a maker of injectable drugs and infusion therapy products that was spun off by Abbott Laboratories in 2004. According
Walgreen 'saved,' but what about AbbVie, other HQ movers?
inverting its headquarters overseas but is actually doing so. And waiting in the wings potentially are Lake Forest-based Hospira Inc. and other local companies. Hold the Champagne, guys. Your work has really just started. The core problem is the
Hospira's stock has doubled. Here's why
Since he arrived at Hospira Inc. as CEO in 2011, F. Michael Ball has been in hunker-down mode, as drug regulators bombarded him with complaints about slipshod
Hospira shares rise on strong results, FDA news
Hospira Inc. posted strong second-quarter results, boosting revenues on favorable pricing trends in the injectable pharmaceuticals market. Meanwhile
Think companies can flee the U.S. risk-free? Think again
Otherwise, we wouldn't be seeing such a stampede of them —including Chicago-area stalwarts AbbVie Inc., Hospira Inc., Horizon Pharma Inc. and maybe even Walgreen Co .— or such an outcry against these dodges from high-level U.S. officials
Gov. Quinn turns up the volume on corporate HQ inversions: Ban 'em
AbbVie Inc. has announced a move to the island of Jersey, Walgreen Co. is considering a move to Switzerland and now Hospira Inc., is mulling the virtues of France. Will the last company out of town please leave a big check for unfunded pension
Another local tax inversion? Hospira in talks for Danone unit
(Bloomberg) — Hospira Inc. is a potential buyer of the medical nutrition unit of French consumer products maker Danone, a person familiar with the matter
Why AbbVie is playing the overseas tax game
American firms have long decamped to international locales to avoid the United States' 35 percent levy on income earned abroad.
Why aren't local drugmakers running off to Ireland?
International Ltd. Our biggest health care companies, Abbott Laboratories, AbbVie Inc., Baxter International Inc. and Hospira Inc., are staying put, at least for now.Oddly, the local name that comes up most often as an inversion candidate is not a
Hospira sues neighbor over drug patent
Hospira Inc. is suing fellow pharma manufacturer Akorn Inc., alleging its Lake Forest neighbor is violating the patent on a proprietary


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EghtesadOnline: A total of 24.75 million tons of goods, including gas condensates, worth $8.5 billion were exported from the southern Bushehr Province in the last Iranian year that ended on March 19, 2020.
According to Behrouz Qarehbeygi, director general of Bushehr Customs Administration, the exports, excluding gas condensates, amounted to 23.72 million tons worth $7.62 billion to register a 19% rise in tonnage compared to the year before. He did not mention the year-on-year change in export value, Financial Tribune reported.
The export figure does not take into account crude oil shipments.
Apart from gas condensates, the non-oil goods exported from the province included petrochemical products, minerals, seafood and vegetable.
China, the UAE, Afghanistan, India, South Korea, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey and Brazil were the main export destinations, IRNA reported.
About 505,000 tons of goods worth $1.23 billion were imported into Bushehr last year.
They mainly included auto tires, butter, black tea, auto parts, rice, tools, industrial faucet and automatic door parts.
China, the UAE, India, the Philippines, New Zealand, Germany, Sri Lanka, Italy, South Korea and Spain were top exporters to the province.


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Call to Duty Mobile China has been the talk of the town ever since its release on 25th December 2020. Players have been really excited to try out the exclusive Chinese version of the new game. So much so, that the game recorded 100 million players within the first week of its release.
Whilst the global COD community is busy gearing up for Season 1 New Order, COD Mobile China sure has some of its own plans to introduce new content and make the Chinese version of the game even more interesting and entertaining.
Today we will be talking about one such new content that COD Mobile China will be getting soon enough. So, without much ado let’s dive straight into the topic.
Well, it has quite some time since the launch of the Chinese version of COD Mobile. We all saw how heavily COD Mobile China was advertising to increase the popularity of the game.
The Shoot House Map is going to be a COD Mobile China-exclusive and the Global version of the game won’t be getting it.
China has always been a hub for gamers. So, it only made sense to go all out in the Chinese version of COD Mobile. Since its launch, COD Mobile China has received so many exclusive updates like New HP System, Self-revive, Nunchucks, and JAAY (Jay Chou) character.
We can hardly wait for the new map to get released for us to try it out. From the looks of it, the Shoot House map looks pretty enthralling with some really good vantage points and battle areas. COD Mobile China is really going all out with these updates. Be sure to check them out.
Abhigyan identifies himself as a tech geek, gaming cognoscenti, and also a connoisseur of music. Unidentified and mysterious phenomena never fail to gather his undivided attention. When not reading about bizarre and perplexing entities across the Universe, he can often be found cheering for his favorite teams in Football.


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Following a Nintendo Direct stream this morning, Nintendo has both announced and released a great deal of new content for Smash Bros 3DS and WiiU.
During the E3 pre-show from Nintendo Direct, Smash Bros has announced and also released new characters Roy and Lucas, veterans to the Smash Bros series, and Ryu, complete with familiar Street Fighter mechanics and stage. Each of the three announced characters come with their own release trailers, in addition to a slew of other content.
Several classic stages are seeing re-release, as well as a plethora of Mii Fighter costumes, including Akira and Jackie from Virtua Fighter, Inkling Boy and Girl from Splatoon, Megaman.EXE and Zero from Megaman series, Heihachi from Tekken, and Isabelle from Animal Crossing.
The most surprising part of the reveal, however, is the new mechanics to be found for the Ryu character. Although Smash Bros plays very differently to traditional fighters, Ryu has many Street Fighter mechanics added into the game. Among them are traditional button inputs for abilities, Focus Attack Dash Cancels, and other such mechanics.
Included with the update was the announcing of several Amiibos relevant to Smash Bros, and that everything in-game that’s been announced has also been released immediately, and is already live on both the 3DS and WiiU.


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New-car registrations deteriorate across Europe in November
02 December 2020
2 December 2020 Autovista Group senior data journalist Neil King considers the ongoing downward trend in new-car registrations in France, Italy and Spain in November. Despite government-backed incentives in France, Italy and Spain, new-car registrations suffered significantly again in November, according to data released by the respective automotive trade associations. As countries battle the second wave of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases, restrictions and/or economic repercussions are impacting registration volumes, albeit inflicting far less damage than in March to May. Following the lifting of lockdowns earlier in the year, the countries’ automotive markets had shown signs of recovery, but, all three suffered a continuation of the downward trend that commenced in September. The 18.7% contraction in Spain was a subtle improvement on the 21.0% year-on-year decline in October, but this was only because of the extra working day in November 2020 compared to November 2019. New-car registrations, France, Italy and Spain, year-on-year percentage change, January to November 2020 Source: CCFA, ANFIA, ANFAC New-car registrations were 27.0% lower in France in November 2020 than in the same month of 2019, even with one extra working day, according to the latest data released by the CCFA, the French automotive industry association. This is the largest year-on-year decline in a month since May, but compared to the dramatic falls in March and April, ′the re-confinement had decidedly different consequences for the car market,’ commented the CCFA in a flash statement. ′All the dealers were closed in France in November. They were only allowed to deliver cars that had already been ordered before the second lockdown. They have reopened since 28 November,’ clarified Yoann Taitz, Autovista Group head of valuations and insights, France and Benelux. As dealers could still honour deliveries of orders, this explains why the downturn in France was far less significant in November than during the first lockdown. In the first 11 months of 2020, new-car registrations in France were 26.9% lower than in the same period in 2019. With dealers open again, December will invariably be a healthier month for the automotive sector, but new-car registrations will still be about 25% lower in 2020 than in 2019. Less lockdown, more crisis in Spain In Spain, 75,708 new cars were registered during November, 18.7% fewer than in November 2019, according to ANFAC, the Spanish vehicle manufacturers’ association. ′The red numbers remain in all segments and vehicle-sales channels in November 2020, and therefore in the cumulative figures. The second wave of the pandemic, and the associated serious economic and social crisis, is deepening the decline in sales in all markets,’ ANFAC commented. The MOVES II and RENOVE incentive schemes were introduced in July and the new-car market saw a 1.1% increase that month. Since then, however, the year-on-year results have deteriorated, with the November fall only improving slightly on October because of the extra working day in the month. Ana Azofra, valuations and insights manager at Autovista Group in Spain, explained that ′the lockdown had many different scenarios, depending on the region and city, but was less restrictive than during the first wave and dealers – at least most of them – remain open. However, the RENOVE incentives for internal combustion engines (ICE) are exhausted and, moreover, the crisis is already affecting private consumption. The unemployment rate already increased in Spain and now stands at 16.5%, maintaining the negative trend.’ Measures to deal with the second wave of COVID-19 infections and the economic repercussions of the crisis are clearly weakening consumer demand. Furthermore, the calculation of the registration tax based on WLTP emissions figures, from January 2021, will further complicate the recovery. ′Half of the vehicles sold in 2021 will see their taxation increased at the time of purchase due to the entry into operation of the European WLTP regulation. This average price increase of 5% will mean, in such a bad environment for vehicle sales, a worsening of the sector’s situation, making it even more difficult to get out of the crisis. We need the registration tax increase to be corrected before January 1 so that the [automotive] industry and the sector can be the driver of the Spanish economy that they have always been and will be,’ the three associations, ANFAC, Faconauto and Ganvam, declared in the ANFAC release. Second consecutive monthly decline in Italy In Italy, the year-on-year downturn in November reported by the industry association ANFIA was 8.3%, although the result would have been worse (down about 12%) had there not been the extra working day. This is the second consecutive month that the country is back in negative territory following the 9.5% growth in new-car registrations in September due to the new government incentives that came into effect at the beginning of August as part of the Decreto Rilancio (Relaunch Decree). While the market still contracted in that month, demand improved but delivery times delayed many registrations until September. As in Spain, there was not ′a full lockdown in Italy like the one we experienced in March and car dealers were – and still are – open. However, depending on the zones, there is a ′light’ lockdown, with different restrictions that put pressure on sales as a result. Furthermore, the incentive scheme for vehicles with the highest range of CO2 emissions has been exhausted,’ commented Marco Pasquetti, forecast and data specialist of Autovista Group in Italy. ′Without a new intervention to support the car market, the new drop in sales leaves companies with the need to reactivate layoffs, which, in any case, will not be sufficient to stem the loss of turnover today, compared to 2019, at an average value of -25%. The data on the use of the redundancy fund in the period January to October 2020, compared to the same period in 2019, show an increase of 6,000%. These are striking data that induce reflection on the cost of failure to support the car,’ highlighted Adolfo De Stefani Cosentino, president of FEDERAUTO, in the ANFIA release. The key to the recovery of new-car markets revolves around countries agreeing on budgets for 2021, and improving economic certainty and consumer confidence to boost spending. However, with COVID-19 not yet under control, and further lockdowns possible, the industry faces a difficult end to 2020 and a challenging 2021.


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Rocket Lab reschedules next Electron launch
LOS ANGELES — Rocket Lab announced May 25 it has rescheduled the next launch of its Electron small rocket for late June after correcting a problem that delayed an April launch attempt.
That launch, dubbed “It’s Business Time” by the company because this is the first commercial Electron launch after two test flights, is now scheduled for no earlier than June 22 (U.S. time) from the company’s New Zealand launch site. Four-hour launch windows, opening at 8:30 p.m. Eastern time, are available daily through July 5.
The company had planned to carry out the launch in April but postponed the launch after detecting a problem with a motor controller for a pump in one of the rocket’s nine first stage engines. At the time of that delay the company hoped to reschedule the launch for May, but diagnosing the problem took longer than expected.
“During the wet dress rehearsal we saw some really weird behavior in one of the motor controllers,” Peter Beck, chief executive of Rocket Lab, said in an interview. “We couldn’t quite explain it. It was one of these faults that had a really non-obvious root cause.”
Beck said that Rocket Lab was already in discussions about flying those satellites on a later mission when the opportunity opened up to include them on this launch. The company has been building up capabilities to quickly do the necessary analysis for integrating payloads on its rockets.
Those payloads join three others previously manifested on the rocket. Two are Lemur-2 satellites from Spire and one is a satellite built by Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems for GeoOptics. All the payloads will be launched into an orbit of 250 by 500 kilometers at an inclination of 85 degrees, after which a Rocket Lab kick stage will circularize the orbit.
Despite the delay, Rocket Lab is still planning to reach a cadence of one launch a month this year. Beck said that the next launch, for NASA’s Venture Class Launch Services program, will be “pretty close on the heels” of this launch, but the company hasn’t announced a launch date for that mission yet.


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The Midtown Sears is being converted to a tech hub. Crews are tearing down the Memorial City Sears in West Houston. Now, the freestanding Sears on North Shepherd, the last active Sears department store in the city, is set to close Aug. 30.
Once the nation’s dominant retailer — and now a case study in how not to adapt to a changing environment — Sears may soon fade from Houston’s memory. But its real estate is being rethought for the future.
Mall owners such as Memorial City’s MetroNational are working to turn former Sears stores into profitable space at a time when enclosed malls across the country are foundering. Jason Baker, a Houston real estate broker and principal at Baker Katz, said the Memorial City redevelopment offers an opportunity for MetroNational to build outdoor patios, bring in culinary destination and draw more foot traffic from neighborhoods immediately surrounding the mall.
“I’m excited for them because this was, in my view, for a mall this age — this was they key piece to really unpacking the mall’s real potential,” he said.
Not all redevelopments are welcome.
Freestanding Sears sites like the one in Midtown have been accessible to lower-income neighborhoods, both in price point and geography, said Laura Solitare, an associate professor of urban planning and environmental policy at Texas Southern University. Many in that area don’t have cars, she said, and so the Sears closure there leaves a neighborhood without a place to buy clothes and applicances.
“That area is losing a lot and not much necessarily is coming in,” she said.
The rise and fall of Sears, whose famous catalog made it the Amazon of its day, has been well documented.
Retailing moved online, Walmart took the low-end market, affluent shoppers flocked to boutique retailers and Target dominated the middle of the road.
“Sears tried to be everything to everybody,” said Bill Fulton, executive director of Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research. “In 2020, that model just doesn’t work anymore.”
Displaced as a retailer, the vast real estate legacy Sears left behind is now undergoing a transformation. Fulton said he expected to see high-rise residential developments cropping up in place of large, big-box stores.
Crews tearing down the former Sears building at Memorial City Mall are making way for a new outdoor “lifestyle” and retail district — phase one in a redevelopment process that focuses on consumer experience and walkability. In Midtown, Rice University readies to transform a former Sears into a $100 million tech hub, called the Ion, signaling another tectonic shift in the economy.
Elsewhere, the former Sears store in the Westwood Mall is now a car dealership, while the one at The Woodlands Mall lives on as a Nordstrom. The Wall Street Journal has reported that Simon Property Group and Amazon are discussing a deal to convert shuttered Sears and J.C. Penney locations in other markets to fulfillment centers for the e-commerce giant.
The North Shepherd store is owned by Seritage, a real estate investment trust spun off from Sears in 2015. At the time, Sears sold Seritage some 235 properties for $2.7 billion.
Seritage representatives did not return requests for comment about its plans for the North Houston space.
Baker, the retail estate broker, said Seritage scooped up the North Shepherd property for its potential. It is desirable both because of its size and the growing area it sits in.
The old Sears store will likely get torn down, he said, with its redevelopment split between multi-family residential and retail uses.
“It is good spacing for probably a lot of retailers, including things like Target,” he said. “Home Depot and Lowe’s are right there; this has been a good market for them.”
Nationally, more vacant retail properties are turning over to warehouse space as e-commerce booms, with “dead malls” in Milwaukee, Cleveland, Chicago, Omaha and Dallas/Ft. Worth driving the trend, according to the CBRE, which tracks the real estate market. There are now 59 projects completed or underway since 2017, up from 24 in January 2019, a CBRE survey found.
These conversion projects are often located at freestanding big-box stores with large parking lots and multiple access points. The pandemic will only spur the phenomenon, the CBRE said, and property conversions could soon ripple into more areas in points to the West and Southeast.
But even as the pandemic accelerates trends away from brick and mortar, some Houstonians haven’t changed their shopping habits and are frustrated to see their neighborhood Sears store go.
B.R. Brooks, 74, has been shopping at the Sears on North Shepherd for more than 50 years. It’s where she had her keys made and took her sons back-to-school shopping. She still takes her car to the Sears Auto Center next door and shops while she waits.
She doesn’t have a computer and doesn’t shop online, she said. Without Sears, she won’t know where to go.
“It’s really heartbreaking that they’re closing,” she said while leaving the store last week. “It’s a one-stop-shop. Whatever you needed, it was right here.”
By Amanda Drane
Read the Original Article Here
Due to COVID-19, the need for school supplies this year is even greater. The Alliance is partnering with PlazAmericas to host its 13th Annual Back to School Drive this morning at 9a.m.
The drive is aimed at providing school supplies to 3,000 students and their families in Southwest Houston. To support students, the organizations plan to distribute school supplies and other essential items provided by local businesses and partners. To ensure everyone’s safety, the distribution will be a drive-thru event with social distancing and mask requirements in effect.
What: Back to School drive-thru distribution of school supplies, fresh produce box, giveaways and information about COVID-19 relief and other services.
When: Tuesday, August 18, 2020, at 9:00 am until supplies last.
Where: PlazAmericas Mall, 7500 Bellaire Blvd, Houston, TX 77036
Drive-thru distribution will take place in the parking garage located on the East side of the mall close to Highway 59. Attendees are encouraged to enter through Clarewood Drive.
A walk-up station will also be available (participants must practice social distancing) inside the mall through the America Cinemas entrance.
Lines will not open until 8:45 am.
By Rachel Estrada, Courtney Carpenter
Volunteers distribute backpacks Tuesday during The Alliance and PlazAmericas’ Back to School drive in Houston. This is the 13th annual drive for the nonprofit and mall.
Photo: Houston Chronicle / Elizabeth Conley / Staff Photographer
The Alliance partnered with PlazAmericas to host the 13th Annual Back to School Drive on August 18, 2020. We distributed school supply bags to 3,000 students in the Southwest Houston area and gave out over 500 fresh food boxes thanks to our sponsors, our media, corporate and nonprofit partners, volunteers, staff, and a number of generous individuals. Thank you to Ronald McDonald House of Charities of Greater Houston/Galveston and Texas Children’s Hospital for providing free immunizations to children! We are grateful to work with our partners to serve the community.
HOUSTON – Travelers around Houston will notice a growing number of buildings and storefronts that are empty, and the pandemic slowdown is likely to change where and how we spend our money.
By comparison: in March, Houston’s retail sector was doing very well, with all kinds of options in all kinds of places. Five months later, much of that has changed and the worst may be yet to come.
“I think 2021 could be, possibly, even more challenging and we could see even more fallout than we’ve already seen,” says Jason Baker, of the Baker Katz commercial real estate brogerage.
He’s not alone. One industry analysis suggests retail vacancies will more than double in the first half of the year, as stores are unable to keep their doors open and get even worse if consumers choose to stay home.
Baker is less concerned with the two dozen, or so, major retailers who have declared recent bankruptcy, saying most were already on borrowed time. He is sure ‘brick and sticks’ retail, as he calls it, will remain a popular choice but is curious what healthy retailers may do as they reassess the number of stores they keep open to serve the community, going forward.
“I think a lot of retailers are going to say ‘We need what we have to maybe, even, fewer locations,'” says Baker.
Houston’s over-supply of office space will, also, continue to be a problem. The city’s vacancy rate was already among the highest in the country. As companies have sent employees to work-from-home, there’s the possibility that office-needs will shrink even more.
“I think office is going to continue to feel the squeeze,” says Baker, “But to say that there’s not going to be a fair amount of demand, going into the future, I’m not sure I buy that, yet.”
by Tom Zizka
FOX 26 Houston
See the Original Feature Here
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Today Google Partners announced the lists of finalists for the 2019 Google Premier Partner Awards.
We here at Sales & Orders were honored to take home last year’s award for Shopping Innovation.
Well, this year we are incredibly proud and excited to have been selected as a Finalist in the Shopping Excellence category (a renaming of last year’s award category).
We’d also like to congratulate our fellow nominees 360i, ChannelAdvisor, Effective Spend, and Northern Commerce.
The official finalists announcements for all categories can be viewed here.
The awards, which are held each year in New York City, are meant to acknowledge leading Partners that have exemplified the qualities that the Google Premier Partners program values in our abilities to support customers in their Google Ads marketing efforts.
The other categories for honor include:
- Search Excellence
- Display Excellence
- App Excellence
- Video Excellence
- Growing Businesses Online
Winners in each category are to be crowned during this year’s ceremony on October 3rd!


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The OnePlus 3 is finally here, and it boasts a 5.5-inch AMOLED display, powered by the Snapdragon 820, with a whopping 6GB of RAM. You can buy it right now via the Loop VR Android app or by visiting OnePlus' website.
Apple's iPhone 7 isn't even out yet, nor is the iPhone 7S, but we've already heard rumors about the iPhone 8, which is slated to arrive in 2018. Here are all the spec, price, design, feature, launch date, and other rumors for the iPhone 8.
Allo and Duo, new apps from Google, are edging near their release date. One Reddit user claims to be a beta tester for the apps and has shed some light on how they work, and what will happen to Hangouts.
After working with LG and Huawei last year, Google could partner with HTC on a pair of new Nexus devices. It would mark the first time Google and HTC have collaborated on a mobile device since 2010. We've got all the news and rumors here.
Already looking to see what's up with the next Samsung Galaxy Note? Here's a look at the latest news and rumors surrounding the Note 6 (or maybe the Note 7), including talk of an early release to jump ahead of the next iPhone.
In the tech world, a lot happens in a week. So much news goes on, in fact, that it's almost impossible for mere mortals with real lives to keep track of everything. That’s why we’ve compiled a quick and dirty list of the top 10 tech…
Don’t risk cracking the display on your new Moto G4 , or scuffing up the frame. Check out some of our favorite cases and covers for Lenovo's new device, whether you're in need of some style or rugged protection. These will fit the Moto G4…
Lenovo hasn't been issuing Android security updates to Moto phones frequently. Will it issue timely updates to the new Moto Z and Moto G4? Lenovo says security patches will go through, but doesn't say how frequently.


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Staff Writer, CNET News.com
When it comes to laptops, lightweight doesn’t have to mean light on features.
And if Intel has its way, that means the great mobile migration of the last few years–during which consumers have moved from desktop PCs to the portability of notebooks–will continue in 2005.
The chipmaker unveiled on Wednesday a new version of its Centrino chip family for notebooks, a recipe it aims to use to boost the performance of lightweight wireless notebooks–mainly machines that weight about 5 or 6 pounds–making them more useful as everyday computers.
The new laptop technology, sometimes referred to by its code name Sonoma, pairs a handful of slightly faster Pentium M processors with the Intel Mobile Express 915 chipset, a group of supporting chips code-named Alviso that incorporates a number of performance enhancements, including a faster bus and higher-performance graphics, as well as a Wi-Fi module. One of two modules, a dual-band 802.11b/g module or a triband module that allows a notebook to operate on 802.11a, 802.11b or 802.11g networks, are required for a machine to be sold under the Centrino brand.
Those features are bound to tempt a new wave of laptop buyers, according to PC manufacturers.
“You’re going to see a lot of people who were buying value notebooks one or two years ago who are going to step up, and they’re going to be extremely happy with the overall performance jump they’re getting,” said Will Diehl, senior director of mobile products at Gateway.
For Intel, this means an opportunity to sell a wider variety of chips for each computer. A substantial portion of Pentium M notebooks come with the full Centrino chip bundle. Currently, 60 percent of Centrino notebooks also come with the more expensive chipset available in the Centrino bundle that includes integrated graphics, a number that will increase with Sonoma, Mooly Eden, vice president of the mobility group at Intel, said at a Wednesday press conference in San Francisco. The company has also worked to make wireless technology easier to use.
“Two years ago, the attach rate for wireless was less than 10 percent,” he said. “People would tell me, ‘It is user-friendly.
So far, Intel has garnered $5 billion off Centrino since it started reaching consumers about in March 2003, he added. Because notebook shipments are growing at about 16 percent annually, the number of notebooks in use will likely double from 2004 to 2008, Eden added. “I believe that everything eventually will be mobile,” he said.
Intel and Centrino won’t be the only driving forces behind the continuing mobile migration, he said. Prices on key components such as LCD panels have been falling as of late, helping PC makers lower their prices or offer models with larger screens.
“A lot of those trends, together with some of the performance (from Centrino)…are going to drive great growth rates in notebooks and will potentially start to cannibalize a lot of the desktop growth,” Diehl said.
In the fourth quarter, PC shipments worldwide jumped a healthy 13.7 percent, according to market researcher IDC.
Notebooks have been especially popular with consumers recently, with unit retail sales growing at double-digit rates in the United States. During the 2004 holiday season, between Thanksgiving and Christmas, notebook sales jumped by 26 percent at U.S. retail outlets, according to preliminary figures from The NPD Group. Gartner, meanwhile, predicts that during 2005, notebook shipments will rise 16 percent to 54.5 million units. Consumer notebooks, it said, will total just more than 20 million units, up almost 20 percent from 2004.
But Intel can’t count on hogging the market. Rival Advanced Micro Devices recently began talking up its Centrino challenger, Turion, and expects to release the lightweight-laptop chips in the first half of this year.
Weighing on their minds
Many of the more popular consumer notebooks lately have been larger, less-expensive machines, sometimes called desktop replacements. Intel has set out to change that with the new Centrino, which it aims to use to boost the performance of lightweight notebooks and thus make them more mainstream, at the same time that it captures a larger piece of the notebook market with the Pentium M bundle.
Although consumers have been able to purchase 5- or 6-pound notebooks for years, buyers typically had to make compromises to purchase those systems. A given 5-pound machine’s performance is usually lower or its price higher than a heftier 7- or 8-pound model, which might have a higher-performance processor, a larger hard drive or a bigger screen for a better price. Enter Sonoma.
With Sonoma, Intel is boosting the clock speed to 2.13GHz from 2GHz, and is speeding the bus from 400MHz to 533MHz. The chip also comes with technology for intercepting many viruses, a first for Intel notebook chips. Overall, the new chip gives about a 12 percent performance boost over existing Centrino notebooks and a 25 percent boost over the first Centrino notebooks at the same levels of power consumption, Eden said.
Additional features such as array microphones will also make these notebooks more amenable to VoIP.
The first systems out of the gate from major manufacturers will sell for a premium, falling into the $1,300 to $1,500 range, somewhat more expensive than today’s Centrino systems, which start at about $1,000 to $1,200 when sold direct, and around $1,300 to $1,400 at retail. Over time, prices on Sonoma systems are expected to come down, making them more enticing to consumers.
So far, “I haven’t seen a lot of Centrino notebooks that bust the $1,300 (notebook) average selling price,” said Steve Baker, an analyst with The NPD Group, which tracks retail sales in the United States.
During December, preliminary numbers from NPD show that Centrino and Pentium M processor notebooks represented just short of 22 percent of notebooks sold at retail in the United States (a strong position compared with a year ago), but less than Celeron M systems, which were about 27 percent of sales, and Pentium 4 systems, which were almost 26 percent of sales. AMD processor notebooks, including those based on the Athlon XP, Athlon 64 and Sempron, made up nearly 20 percent of sales.
“If they want to have more (Centrino unit sales) volume, yes–prices will have to come down,” Baker said. “Without question there’s a huge amount of value below the average price line” of about $1,300.
Dell’s latest Inspiron 6000, announced Wednesday, starts at about $1,300 with a Pentium M and 15.4-inch screen. With a triband Intel wireless module, 512MB of RAM, a 60GB hard drive and a CD burner, it costs about $1,600. Toshiba is also offering several models, including the Satellite S45-S331, which starts at about $1,500 with a Pentium M and a 15.4-inch screen.
While most new Centrino systems announced Wednesday start at about $1,300 to $1,500, Toshiba also unveiled a new business-oriented Tecra A3 model that starts at about $1,100. The all-in-one machine, which packs a fixed CD burner drive, pairs a Pentium M with a 15-inch screen, 256MB of RAM, a 40GB hard drive and a Wi-Fi 802.11b/g module from Intel. The company also unveiled a Tecra A4 model that comes with a 15.4-inch wide-screen display and similar processor, memory and hard drive specifications for a starting price of about $1,300. Both machines use built-in graphics supplied with Intel’s mobile 915 chipset, the company said in a statement.
IBM has also added the new chips to its ThinkPad line. It will offer a ThinkPad T43 model, which incorporates the chips along with IBM tools such as Rescue and Recovery 2.0 for recovering from viruses or retrieving lost data. The T43, which IBM says will begin shipping next month, offers a range of Pentium M processors, Intel wireless modules and hard drives up to 80GB for a price starting at $1,499, the company said in a statement.
Gateway’s first Intel Mobile Express 915-based notebook will arrive for businesses in February, the company said. It did not offer any details on the machine. Hewlett-Packard is also expected to come out with machines based on the new chips at a later date.
Higher prices or not, Intel believes the notebook market is moving toward Centrino. Executives at the company have said that consumers, many of whom are second- or third-time PC owners, as shown by NPD data that reveals notebook buyers average 2.7 computers per household, are growing more sophisticated when it comes to choosing notebook models.
Thus, the chipmaker believes people who purchased inexpensive but hefty desktop replacements in the last few years will opt for lighter weight and longer battery life the next time around.
Many PC executives agree.
“Our customers are definitely cognizant of the benefits of mobility,” said Gretchen Miller, director of product marketing for the Inspiron line at Dell. “There is a greater range of choices available today than ever before. Customers can choose from the (Dell Inspiron) 700M, something that’s basically a replacement for a portable DVD player with computer capabilities, on up to full desktop replacement notebooks.”
However, weight and design are becoming more and more important to customers, she said.
At some point the notebook phenomenon will run out of steam and growth rates will slow, Baker said.
But “if the goal is to make PC household penetration and ownership look a lot more like television ownership–there are one or two communal products in the house and everybody else gets one for themselves–if that’s the case, then there remains a pretty big opportunity for people to add more PCs to their home,” he said. “If that’s what they’re really doing, there isn’t any question the best product for that is the notebook, along with the Mac Mini.”


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For the past couple of months, Airtel has been at loggerheads with the new entrant Reliance Jio over its predatory trial offer. Reliance Jio accuses Airtel of not providing enough interconnection points, resulting in large-scale call drops, to the tune of more than 2 crores per day.
Last week, Airtel offered olive branch by providing additional interconnection points to augment the call drop, but Reliance Jio wasn't happy, as it wasn't enough for even one-fourth of the requirements.
Now, Airtel has further intensified the 4G data tariff war by announcing a new special data pack, which offers 90 days free data for 4G customers.
"At Airtel, we are focused on providing great value to customers. Customers with 4G handsets generally consume large amounts of data and this proposition is specifically aimed at them," Ajai Puri, Director â€“ Operations (India & South Asia), Bharti Airtel, said in a statement.
"With this pack these customers can stay online round the clock without having to worry about exhausting their data limits or going for frequent recharges," he added.
That said, there is one caveat, Airtel users have to pay Rs 1,494 upfront, as a one-time payment to enjoy unlimited 4G internet for 90 days.
In comparison, Reliance Jio offers free SIM with unlimited internet data as well as free local and STD calls till the end of December. It has a cap of high-speed internet for 4GB data per day, post exhaustion, speed will reduce to 128kbps.
As of now, Airtel's new trial offer is live in New Delhi and is expected to be extended to other circles in coming days.


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Vindon Healthcare posted a 28 per cent fall in half-year pre-tax profits despite a six per cent increase in revenues from £3.12m to £3.31m.
Earnings in the six months to June 30 fell from £416,000 to £300,000 as fierce competition dented margins and demand fell for the storage equipment it manufactures.
Vindon, which is based in Rochdale, stores drugs under development by biotech and pharmaceutical companies in conditions which test whether they are affected by different temperatures and degrees of humidity.
The firm also stores artefacts such has old films and has a cryogenic storage unit where stem cells, DNA and bone marrow can be preserved in liquid nitrogen at temperatures as low as -196C.
Vindon also manufactures storage chambers for drugs under developments and plants.
Storage activity increased in the half-year but sales of equipment fell.
Chairman Liam Ferguson said Vindon is developing new products and services to bolster the profitability of its core business, and continues to seek suitable acquisitions.


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Disney and Nintendo are two companies that are often compared to each other due to their similarities. They also have a pretty decent business relationship, as you can find a lot of Nintendo commercials being featured on their channels. That makes it no surprise that the a 30 minute TV special of a replay of the Nintendo World Championships will be featured on the Disney XD network; a channel that’s geared towards adolescents and fairly young adults ? which is the exact category that represents a lot of gamers.
The TV special will show highlights from the event that was held back in June, right before Nintendo’s E3 presentation. The program will be airing on Wednesday, September 16th at 8PM EST.
If you didn’t catch it then, now you have a chance to do so!
The post Disney XD and Nintendo Partner Up for a Replay of the Nintendo World Championships in September appeared first on Nintendo Enthusiast.


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Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock has issued a statement sharing his disappointment over California’s lack of progress in issuing reopening guidelines for California theme parks. The news comes after both California theme parks including Disneyland and also the City of Anaheim have called for health and safety guidelines to be released by California for reopening.
“We are disappointed with the state’s lack of progress in providing the industry with guidance and clarity on reopening,” Disneyland resort president said Ken Potrock in a statement to the OC Register. “We have proven we can operate responsibly, with strict health and safety protocols at our properties around the world and at Downtown Disney in Anaheim.”
The parks at the Disneyland Resort have been closed since mid-March. Originally, it was hoped that the parks would be reopening in July. However, only Downtown Disney District ended up reopening.
“Tens of thousands of people’s livelihoods depend on our ability to operate and we stand ready and willing to accelerate discussions with the Governor and his team to make ‘real progress’ toward our reopening and getting people back to work,” Potrock said in the statement.
The Governor has said that guidelines for reopening will be released very soon. He has also shared that real progress has been made on making guidelines for reopening. However, no details have been released on how theme parks in California will be reopening or when. It is becoming increasingly clear that Disney, other California theme parks, and the city of Anaheim are growing impatient.
DAPS MAGIC will continue to follow this story and provide updates on this story when they become available. What do you think about this statement from the Disneyland Resort President? Share your thoughts in the comments below!


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ReVuln - News, Features, and Slideshows
The latest firmware in some Philips smart TV models opens an insecure Miracast wireless network, allowing potential attackers located in the signal range to control the TV remotely and perform unauthorized actions.
Nvidia's Mental Ray high-performance 3D rendering software has a vulnerability that could be exploited to compromise clusters of specialized computers called render farms, according to researchers from ReVuln.
Security researchers found serious vulnerabilities in the engines of several popular first-person shooter video games that could allow attackers to compromise their online servers and the computers of players accessing them.
A poker software developer plans to implement a fix this week for a vulnerability recently discovered by two security researchers who analyzed one of its gambling applications.
A review of poker applications shows that many suffer security flaws, putting players at risk of attack, according to a Malta-based security company.
- Poseidon hacker group behind long-running extortion scheme
- Is Docker ditching Ubuntu Linux? Confusion reigns
- Google will stop accepting new Flash ads on June 30
- FBI Director entreats tech firms to release encrypted data used in crimes and terror
- World's largest solar plant goes live; will provide power for 1.1M people
- Maxus Worldwide launches new marketing tech consultancy
- Cricket Australia deploys Prime Focus Technologies solution to manage digital content assets
- Why big data is the capital driving the digital age
- 8 ways to avoid fads, gimmicks and shiny martech toys
- What the hell is the difference between ad tech and marketing tech?


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Almost 20,000 personal insolvencies are expected in the first three months of 2006, of which 6,500 will be as a result of excessive Christmas spending, according to Grant Thornton's personal insolvency practice.
The prediction comes in the wake of record numbers of personal insolvencies in 2005, which are expected to top 66,000.
"Despite reports by many retail indices pointing to a slowdown in consumer spending, the number of personal insolvencies has continued to soar and is likely to worsen after Christmas," said Mike Gerrard, head of the personal insolvency practice.
"Many people will have funded Christmas shopping sprees on their credit cards this year.
"A little overspend will not break the bank for most, but for those who are already financially over-stretched, spending that little bit more during the festivities may represent the last straw that breaks the camel's back, plunging individuals in already precarious financial positions further into debt and quite possibly towards bankruptcy.
"An individual with serious debts will typically have a mortgage in the region of £50,000 to £100,000 and commonly credit and store card debts of £50,000 or over.
"Whilst this may sound like a warning call to stay away from the high street, the fact remains we regularly see people, especially over Christmas, add to their problems in quite a substantial way."
Mr Gerrard pointed out that there are signs of consumers starting to take a fresh look at their finances.
He continued: "Recent figures from the British Bankers Association show that many consumers with variable rate mortgages have clearly taken advantage of August's interest rate cut to consolidate their debts by remortgaging their homes.
"But difficulties arise if borrowers do not change their spending habits and then fall behind with the higher repayments they are often committed to, as they can then be forced to sell their home."


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Two Donegal businesses have teamed up to create a unique seafood experience in the popular fishing port of Killybegs. Atlantic Treasures – The Fish Stop and Hughie’s Bar will launch the new Hooked & Cooked Seafood Experience next week (from 21st July).
Available from Tuesday to Saturday, the new taste experience will invite visitors to hand-select their own fresh fish and seasoning from The Fish Stop, before taking their cook-bag to the newly revamped Hughie’s Bar, where it will be cooked, garnished and plated.
Local businessmen Hugh O’Donnell of Hughie’s Bar and Michael O’Donnell of Atlantic Treasures – The Fish Stop, developed the idea earlier this year to give visitors an opportunity to sample fresh Atlantic catch and experience an authentic Donegal welcome along the Wild Atlantic Way.
Speaking about the new foodie experience, Michael O’Donnell said: “We’re over the moon to launch the Hooked & Cooked Seafood Experience. We’ve been working hard behind the scenes, perfecting the seasoning and glazes and designing an experience that will give visitors the ultimate foodie day-out.
“It combines the perfect mix of tasting fresh catch from the boats, meeting locals, including our popular fishmonger Ronan Cunningham, exploring the area and enjoying a warm Donegal welcome.
“Given the town’s location between Donegal Town and Sliabh Liag Cliffs on the Wild Atlantic Way, Killybegs is already a very popular destination with day-trippers, but we want to encourage visitors to stay in the area and explore the history and culture all-year round.
“Of course, Covid-19 has impacted tourism, but the Hooked & Cooked Seafood experience can be enjoyed by small groups and couples, and Hugh and the team have done great work at Hughie’s Bar to get the venue ready. We look forward to welcoming local and international visitors to Killybegs this summer and throughout the year.”
Adding to this, Wild Atlantic Way Food Ambassador and owner of Hughie’s Bar, Hugh O’Donnell said: “I’m delighted to be collaborating with Michael on this fresh new seafood initiative. Visitors to Killybegs can now avail of a fresh and innovative way to sample local fish – bringing them right to the source of Irish produce and our community.
“From starting the journey at The Fish Stop, visitors will meet the famous singing fishmonger Ronan Cunningham, who is well-known for his singing videos on social media, and from here visitors will take their cook-bag and make their way across the road to Hughie’s for the taste test!
“Visitors have the choice of five different fishes and five different seasoning and glazes, so there’s plenty to choose from.”
The Hooked & Seafood Experience will also be available nationwide in the coming months with a new online delivery service from Atlantic Treasures.
The online initiative was created after Michael O’Donnell spotted a gap in the market: “When we were developing the Hooked & Cooked Seafood Experience, we were in the midst of the pandemic, which saw a huge rise in fish sales.
“We already offer an online delivery service for our smoked mackerel and herring products, so we thought, why not give people the opportunity to get fresh fish straight from the Atlantic that they can pop into the oven and enjoy.
“We hope to have it live in the next few weeks and people from around Ireland can enjoy the Hooked & Cooked seafood experience from the comfort of their homes.”
The Hooked & Cooked Seafood Experience costs €15 per person and is suitable for children and adults. For more information and to book visit www.atlantictreasures.ie or call 074 9731057.


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FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
As a dynamic city with a pro-business regulatory environment and progressive approach to technology, Dubai is a great location for companies in the food and agriculture sector that are looking to the future. Between a growing population, strong tourist numbers, and an innovative F&B sector, the demand for food production in Dubai is continuing to grow. It is estimated that annual food consumption in the UAE will reach 10.3 million tonnes by 2030, an increase of almost 25 percent from 8.3 million tonnes in 2018. Indeed, this is a growing sector globally with the fresh food packaging market expected to reach US$126 billion by 2025. And Dubai is well positioned to cater to this growth.
Dubai’s food and agriculture sector is built around trade, and the city’s re-export logistics capabilities ensure that companies based here are ready for the global market. The city is the base for large global food manufacturers like Unilever, Hakan Group, and Olam International, as well as ambitious agri-tech start-ups such as Badia Farms, Desert Control and Farmbox.
Increasing the focus on the importance of food security, the UAE established a State Ministry for Food Security for the first time in 2017 that was tasked with building enhanced agricultural and food capabilities in the country. This led to the formation of the UAE National Food Security Strategy 2051 which focuses on diversifying food import sources, identifying alternative sources of supply, and facilitating the global food trade. This is already paying dividends with the UAE jumping 10 places in the Global Food Security Index rankings, from 31st place in 2018 to 21st place in 2019. It’s subsequent aim is to grab the Number 1 position by 2051.
This target will not be met by traditional farming methods alone. Dubai’s appetite for innovation and embracing new technologies has produced an ecosystem that includes methods such as vertical farming, smart farming, hydroponics and aeroponics that will help propel the city into the next phase of agricultural development. These new practices compliment Dubai’s already existing status as a global gateway and re-export hub, efficient logistics and supply chain system and economic and political stability that have made the city an attractive place for food and agriculture companies from around the world.


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After 64-bit processors inclusion in iPhone 5S by Apple, Samsung is next to follow the league. Samsung has announced that its next smartphone will be supported by 64-bit processors.
For taking the benefit of 64-bit processors in Samsung Galaxy phones, the Android Operating System will be required to be updated first.
The Coalition for Fair Internet Pricing lobby group has recently revealed that broadband users in New Zealand face being taxed at least $600 million by the Government; and added that the entire tax amount will to privately-owned monopoly Chorus.
On Tuesday, video game developer Valve announced a new `Steam Family Sharing' program, under which a total of up to 10 Steam accounts will be able to share one single library of digital PC games.
In an announcement made at the Microsoft TechEd conference in Auckland this week, Paul Muckleston - Microsoft New Zealand general manager - revealed that nearly 27,000 charities in New Zealand are now eligible for free Office 365 software.
According to several recent reports, Microsoft is apparently set to unveil the next-generation versions of both its Surface tablet models - the Surface Pro and the Surface RT - towards the end of September.
Designer Dave Hakkens, from The Netherlands, has come up with the concept of a completely modular phone - `Phonebloks' - which can be upgraded by the users as and when they want to beef up their devices with new, more recent features.
Good News USA
- AT&T closes its $1.2 billion acquisition of Leap Wireless
- Verizon announces new AllSet prepaid plans with rollover feature
- AT&T selects two trial locations to transition landline customers away from copper wire line
- Vodafone Foundation launches Instant Network Mini ‘mobile network in a backpack’
- Brunswick and South Morang phone and Internet users being urged to switch to NBN


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Report: The Cellphone Is Underrated as a Travel Inspiration Tool
Many travel companies have turned to iPads and other tablets when they want to inspire travelers to dream of their next vacations, but in so doing they may be short-changing the mobile phone, and they may want to rethink their app-development priorities.
A PhoCusWright survey of 2,200 U.S. travelers in the fourth quarter of 2013 found that 26% travelers broke out their phones for both destination selection and shopping, compared with 20% and 18%, respectively, of tablet users.
So while tablet adoption has almost tripled since 2012 to nearly half of all travelers, the smartphone may not be getting its due as a device for travel inspiration.
“Desktop is still dominant, especially when it comes to booking, but the high incidence of phone use during destination selection suggests that, despite the limitation of the small screen, travelers are exploring, dreaming in their free time, on the couch, or in a meeting, with the device most handy,” says Douglas Quinby, PhoCusWright’s vice president, research. “That, of course, is the device right in their hand.”


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Many Microsoft cloud and on-premises customers in Britain will face price hikes effective January 1, 2017. Pundits blame the price hike on Britain's exit from the European Union -- which undermined the British pound's value. The big question: Will additional IT companies raise cloud, software and hardware prices to offset the British pound's weak value?
According to a Microsoft blog:
"From January, British pound prices for on-premises enterprise software will increase by 13% to realign close to euro levels. Most enterprise cloud prices in British pounds will increase by 22% to realign close to euro levels. Even after this adjustment, customers across the region buying in British pound will still find our cloud offerings highly competitive. For indirect sales where Microsoft products are sold through resellers, final prices and currency of sale will continue to be determined by them. In the EU/EFTA region, partners will continue to have access to prevailing prices in euro, Norwegian krone, Swiss franc, Swedish krona, and Danish krone, along with revised prices in British pounds."
Still, some customers will benefit from price protection -- including "existing orders under annuity volume licensing agreements for products that are subject to price protection," Microsoft said. This pricing change will not apply to consumer software or consumer cloud services, the company added.
The pound has fallen more than 16% against the dollar since the Brexit vote on June 23 and has been struggling this month amid discussions on what the divorce will mean for Britain’s access to Europe’s single market, Bloomberg reported. Some experts predict UK-based IT spending will fall amid Britain's pending exit from the European Union.
ChannelE2E is checking to see if additional SaaS and cloud providers plan to raise prices in Britain.


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News by Topic
- Search Marketing
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- Loyalty Marketing
- Mobile Marketing
- Social Marketing
- Viral Marketing
- Trends & Ideas
- Internet Marketing 101
Users choose multi-media over news content
News and media websites have another reason to be nervous about the ever-changing Internet: according to a new study from Hitwise, nearly 200% of past traffic has left news and media sites in favor of newer multi-media sites.
According to the Hitwise US News and Media Report, between April 2006 and May 2007, traffic increased at multi-media sites by 196%. Much of that traffic was because of a decrease in traffic to news and media content sites.
LeeAnn Prescott, director of research at Hitwise and author of the report said, search engines helped multi-media sites increase their traffic in the last year. "Search engines were more likely to be the first step for Internet users in their search for information about breaking events, and search engine results from news video services, video sites like YouTube, and blogs were more likely to contain the information they sought, thus hastening the growth of non-traditional news sources."
Google, in fact, sent 29% more traffic to news and information sites in March 2007 than in March 2006. Still, the report indicates that the market share for news and information sites decreased by 3.8% YOY.
News aggregators such as Topix, however, increased their market share. According to the report, there was an 81% growth YOY for news aggregators. Rural areas, especially, are more prone to use aggregators as their main source of information.
- Consumers, like many marketers, don't know what native advertising is
- Travel: Paid search spend continues downward trend
- Why developers need to test apps
- Unruly: SocNetters buzz about getting buzzed
- Survey: Friends, not search, pushing mobile video
- Release leaves power of the brand with the brand
- Pinterest improves product engagement with Rich Pins
- ONS data reveals the U.K.'s 7.1 million disconnected
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03 Sep Barrons : China Is Tops in Exporting Gas Guzzlers. Don’t Count EVs Out
Media Source : Barrons
By Craig Mellow
Aug. 18, 2023
Nearly three-quarters of China’s foreign car sales are the old-fashioned internal combustion ones. Innovative EVs eventually may play a bigger role in exports.
EVs may play a bigger role in China’s export engine. Here: BYD automobiles are exported from Shenzhen to Thailand
Pop quiz: Which country exports the most cars? Germany? Japan? Try China.
The No. 2 economy surpassed Japan in the first half of 2023. Full-year exports should exceed four million vehicles, up from one million or so prepandemic, says Paul Gong, China auto analyst at UBS.
The top destination this year is Russia, where Chinese auto makers have jumped in while global rivals fled. But other big customers include Mexico; Saudi Arabia; and Belgium, as a gateway to the European Union. “Chinese companies are building better and better cars and offer a cost advantage,” Gong says.
Is this evidence that rumors of China’s economic death are exaggerated? Yes and no. China makes more electric vehicles than the rest of the world combined, with improving quality.
That’s not what’s driving the export boom, though. About 70% of the foreign sales are old-fashioned internal combustion cars, Gong says. State-owned SAIC Motor and Chery are the leading exporting companies. Of the EV exports, U.S.-owned Tesla (ticker: TSLA) accounts for nearly 40%.
The old-school state companies are exporting to survive more than expand, says Bill Russo, CEO of Shanghai-based consultancy Automobility. China’s domestic car sales peaked in 2017, and gas-powered vehicles are down 7% as EVs’ market share rises. “They have a tremendous built-up capacity, and they don’t want to lay off people,” he says.
Innovative EVs may play a bigger role in China’s export engine as it keeps rolling. Annual vehicle exports could reach nine million by 2030, consultancy AlixPartners predicts.
China’s emerging EV champion, BYD (1211.Hong Kong), has barely begun to focus on exports, because its cars are selling like hot cakes at home. The company’s domestic market share has soared to 37%, Russo reports. That’s four times Tesla’s, and leaves competitors like Li Auto (LI), XPeng (XPEV), and Nio (NIO) in the dust, for the moment.
BYD lately broke ground on a factory in Thailand, and is shopping for a European site. Its lead in a crowded field is still too fragile to bet on, says Sharukh Malik, a portfolio manager for Asian equities at Guinness Asset Management. “On a five-year horizon, I don’t have a clue which EV auto makers will be left standing,” he says.
He’s looking instead into China’s EV supply chain for companies with more defensible market niches and less potential to raise protectionist hackles abroad. One example is Wuxi Lead Intelligent Equipment (300450.China), a contract manufacturer for Chinese battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology , or CATL (300750.China), but also a budding partner for would-be European battery champion Northvolt.
Malik also favors Shanghai Putailai New Energy Technology (603659.China), which makes EV battery anodes and just agreed on a $1.5 billion plant in Sweden, Northvolt’s home base; and Hongfa Technology (600885.China), whose power relays are built into all of Tesla’s Chinese-built cars, and up to 40% of its U.S. vehicles. Malik doesn’t own CATL itself, finding its business model “very capital intensive.”
However fickle individual corporate fortunes, China’s lead in EV technology writ large is firmly established. The U.S. and Europe won’t easily subsidize and/or protect their way around it. “I applaud the IRA, but it’s 20 years too late,” consultant Russo says, referring to last year’s Inflation Reduction Act, meant to finance a U.S. green leap forward.
None of that negates China’s mounting internal problems with overextended property developers, blackhole local government debt, and unemployed youth. It’s something for investors to weigh in the balance, though.


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Local companies are buying into the big game this Sunday with Super Bowl commercials starring a host of celebrities.
Bill Murray, of "Caddyshack" and "Groundhog Day" fame, will help Fiat Chrysler Automobiles pitch its new Jeep. NBA icon LeBron James has linked with General Motors Co. for a new electric Hummer ad, "Aquaman" actor Jason Momoa will make his brand advertising debut with Quicken Loans Inc., and "The Office" star Rainn Wilson will help pitch new delivery service for Little Caesars Enterprises Inc.
An estimated 100 million viewers are expected to tune in to Fox when the San Francisco 49ers take on the Kansas City Chiefs. Companies are hoping to seize on the exposure to build their brands, and there's a ton of potential. Previous commercials have become iconic — Chrysler struck gold in 2011 with its "Imported from Detroit" clip featuring local rapper Eminem cruising through Detroit in a black Chrysler 200.
Each of Detroit's automakers have had a consistent Super Bowl ad presence over the years. While FCA and GM have spots planned, it appears Ford Motor Co. will take a hiatus.
The big game's commercial breaks have become the most coveted TV ad slots throughout the year. Each 30-second slot this year costs around $5 million.
Fox 2, the local affiliate broadcasting the game, did not return multiple inquiries about ad placement and viewership projections.
Here are the local companies advertising during the Super Bowl:


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Large Language Model ChatGPT has received an upgrade in the form of voice and image capabilities. OpenAI confirms that the language model offers a…
After closing a $8 million series A funding round, the Côte d’Ivoire-based fintech start-up Bizao is on the fast-track to becoming Africa’s leading payment hub. The latest round was led by key investors, including AfricInvest, Adelie, and Seedstars Africa Ventures.
Since 2019, Bizao has extended its footprint to over 10 African countries, boasting 30 partnerships with telecom operators, banks, and mobile money service providers. This geographical coverage has enabled Bizao’s team to build, over time, a unique payment hub which allows businesses in West and Central Africa to accept credit cards payments along with mobile money and airtime as payment means.
“We have spent the last few years working closely with our partners to improve our products and services in line with our customer requirements,” says Aurélien Delort-Duval, founder and chief executive of Bizao.
“Thanks to this close collaboration with industry players, we have multiplied the transaction volumes processed by our platform by almost 20 over the past 12 months. This round of financing will enable us to design new product lines for high-potential vertically integrated organisations, expand in new markets and grow the team across all our offices.”
Now providing a coverage of 200 million end-customers, Bizao already supports around 100 companies in the digital transformation of their online and in-store payment transactions. It processes over 350 million payment requests per month.
With the latest funding secured, Delort-Duval says the start-up will scale the commercialisation of its payment hub and expand its operations to new countries. The new investors strengthen its governance while consolidating its research and development strategy aimed at designing innovative payment products and services to address the needs identified across news business lines.
Bizao offers world-class traceability
The technology used by Bizao ensures end-to-end transactions traceability and is hence, up to the latest standards of banking and finance regulation to prevent fraud and money laundering. This, ultimately, enables Bizao to deepen its relationship with its partners.
Omar Bekkali, a partner at AfricInvest, says, “Through our equity investments in financial institutions including banks, insurance companies and high potential fintechs, we support the acceleration of universal access to financial services. Our investment in Bizao is in line with this high-impact strategy aiming to support financial inclusion in Africa.”
“It is the future of financial services that is orchestrating itself in Africa; mobile money has enabled more than 60% of the population on the continent to finally have access to basic financial services,” adds Jean-Manuel Costa, managing partner at Adelie.
“The penetration rate of mobile on the continent is close to 100% and we are witnessing a growth in the use of credit cards. We are convinced that a platform combining all these payment methods has an exceptional growth potential.”
According to Tamim El Zein, partner at Seedstars Africa Ventures, Africa is the ultimate continent for mobile payments, already boasting more than 600 million mobile money accounts.
“Yet 90% of transactions are still settled in cash,” says Zein. “Bizao tackles a major societal issue and can help unlock African trade potential. To achieve this goal, Bizao leverages its payment Hub which is one of the most technically robust. In addition, Bizao’s African internationalisation strategy matches that of the companies we support.”


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BMW taps German debt market as coronavirus batters auto industry
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG sold a 200 million-euro ($220 million) deal in the German Schuldschein debt market even as coronavirus upheavals weigh on the global auto industry.
The private five-year sale was bought by only one or two investors, and it priced at as much as 150 basis points over mid-swaps, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified because they’re not authorized to speak about it. Bayerische Landesbank led the deal, which closed last week.
BMW’s return to the Schuldschein market came as the spread of the coronavirus damps the global economy and hammers auto demand. The Munich-based automaker is preparing to idle its biggest factory -- in South Carolina --- from April 3.
Also check these Vehicles
The Schuldschein is for general corporate purposes, the automaker said in an emailed response to Bloomberg News questions. Its financial and liquidity status is stable with no major changes versus the end of last year.
The company has “no intention to draw" on its 8-billion euro revolver facility, which is due in July 2023.
Other global automakers including Daimler AG, Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co., and Toyota Motor Corp. have tapped banks to shore up finances during the health crisis. The companies have either drawn multi-billion revolving facilities or sought new credit lines.


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Post Menu and Details.
- Activate Facebook Beta
- Facebook Beta for Windows 10 PC and Windows Phone 8.1 is updated.
- Facebook activates the new Play Store beta testing program for its app.
- Facebook Beta for Android updates and fixes some problems
- How to activate the new Facebook
- What changes?
- Facebook Beta The first reactions
- How to Activate Facebook Beta FAQs
Reading time: ~4 minutes
To activate the Facebook Beta version, go to “Settings” by clicking the arrow at the top right (near the question mark) and click on “See the new Facebook.”Facebook has just announced the release of the new graphical interface (Facebook Beta) for the desktop app. That is the one that can be viewed directly on the PC.
Since February, some Facebook users have been able to preview the new graphics, but now it should be made public to all users, even if it is in the Beta version.
The social network is launching a substantial modification of the graphical interface visible on its website in these hours, which can be visited via browser – a total restyling that should make the web pages much more similar to what is already evident within the apps for Android and iOS. The arrival of the novelty was announced in these hours by Facebook, even if, in reality, the most informed already know what to expect from the new interface.
Activate Facebook Beta
To activate the new Facebook Beta version, go to “Settings” by clicking the arrow at the top right (near the question mark) and click on “See the new Facebook.”
This graphic then approaches the mobile world with the desktop one and also introduces the dark mode on the PC to less strain the eyes.
I did a screenshot of Facebook Beta, so you can see how it looks:
It is much faster having simplified all the graphics even if it may not please everyone.
Let us know in the comments what you think and if it could be improved in some way!
Facebook Beta for Windows 10 PC and Windows Phone 8.1 is updated.
The Facebook Beta application for Windows 10 PCs and Windows Phone 8.1 smartphones has received a new update.
The PC version (published by Facebook) passes to the 126.96.36.199.191 release from the previous numbered 188.8.131.52.133, while the smartphone version (published by Microsoft) reaches the 184.108.40.206 release from the 220.127.116.11 released a few hours ago.
In both cases, the changelog has not been published, but it is reasonable to think that in the first case, there is some news (given the significant version jump), while in the second, the update could only bring bug fixes.
Facebook activates the new Play Store beta testing program for its app.
With the latest version of the Play Store, Google has officially added the possibility of activating a beta testing program for various applications for sale; this allows you to download the betas directly from the Play Store, without having to install them from third-party stores. In the new app you can:
- Share feeds with private messages.
- Open Facebook in Incognito mode.
Today, Facebook officially activated the new program for its main app. Below you will find out how to become a beta tester.
To become a new Facebook Play Store beta testing app follow these steps:
- The first thing to do is to join the Facebook for Android Beta Testers group.
- Go to the Google Play Store and login if necessary.
- Activate the option to download beta versions by clicking “Become a Beta Tester” on the Play Store.
- Download Facebook from the Play Store to update your app (thus installing the beta). Initially, the link to the Play Store may return the 404 error, but subsequently, you will be correctly recognized, and you can proceed with the download.
Facebook Beta for Android updates and fixes some problems
During the past few hours, the famous Facebook team for Android has released a new update for the application in Beta version, managing to solve some issues presents in previous releases. This new update was officially communicated by Facebook to the appropriate group for access to the beta testing program, releasing a complete changelog of the changes.
- Fixed a bug that occurred when using messages
- Repair a crash that occurred during login and startup
- Fixed a bug that occurred when uploading multiple photos
- Repair a crash that occurred when opening a post consisting of numerous photos
- Fixed black screen when selecting “Most recent”
- Cropping and resizing photos in the timeline
- Resolution of the persistent “Connection error.”
- Fixed an issue with the newsfeed not loading news
- The “Use as lock screen” setting is now selectable.
- Various bug fixes
The improvements are many but practically nothing new. All you have to do is download the update from the following badge. Not before logging into the app’s beta testing program.
How to activate the new Facebook
The new graphical interface had been made available to these people as a dress rehearsal to allow developers to understand if there were any aspects to rethink or refine.
Still, now it seems that this cleaning job is finished, and the novelty will be gradually activated among all users of the social network in two ways: automatically or – for the most anxious – by selecting the Switch to new Facebook option from the menu button that is on the top bar, in the last position on the right.
In both cases, the transition to the new version of the social network will take place through an introductory screen. A handful of dialogue boxes in which the changes made by the developers to the site compared to the previous version will be illustrated to help users reorient themselves.
In fact, despite the guide, many could find themselves displaced by the novelty: the much-snubbed Stories have been placed in a preponderant position. And it will be difficult not to notice
The search bar has been resized and moved to the side. While the top bar is occupied by symbols that refer to the main sections of the app.
Facebook Beta The first reactions
We had already talked about the other changes previously, while users’ reaction is not difficult to predict. As with any substantial modification forced on a product that has already worked. The new look of Facebook will likely not be greeted with particular enthusiasm by the vast majority of people. After all, the same thing happened with all the Facebook restyling. That has followed one another over the years, and to which everyone then ended up getting used to.
How to Activate Facebook Beta FAQs
Is beta version safe?
Usually, it is safe to download and test beta software,
But be sure that you understand the risks that come with it.
How do I quit the beta program?
1. Open the Google Play Store.
2. Select Leave the program.
3. Uninstall the test version of the Facebook Lite app from your Android mobile phone.
4. Download the standard version of the Facebook Lite app from the Google Play Store.
Are beta testers paid?
Yes, of course. Any work should be paid. Sometimes you can earn a lot of money as a beta tester.
Thank you for reading!


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If you like your Archway cookies, better get them fast — that is, if it’s not too late.
A sign in the cookie aisle at the North Anthony Scott’s Foods on Monday said, “Effective immediately, Archway and Mother’s cookies has closed and stopped operations.”
[. . .]
A message left at the company’s headquarters in Battle Creek, Mich., wasn’t returned, and a woman who answered the phone at the Ashland, Ohio, plant today said it had closed. A news release issued by the company, Archway & Mother’s Cookie Co., said it has filed bankruptcy under Chapter 11 and has discontinued U.S. manufacturing operations. The company also sold products under the Mother’s Cake & Cookie Co. subsidiary. The company’s Canadian plant was not affected by the bankruptcy.
While other folks were snapping up fancy cookies, I stuck with the soft and chewy Archways. Nothing better than raspberry-filled cookies and a cold glass of milk. Stories I’ve seen elsewhere said the company was done in by rising fuel and ingredient prices. Another victim of the failed Bush policies!


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The store will begin trading in Parr’s Way on February 23, when it will present a cheque to present a £500 cheque to Imperial College Healthcare Charity as part of its commitment to supporting the local area.
All vacancies were filled by people from the Fuham area in a bid to bring a community feel to the store.
Store manager Geoff Martin said he was delighted to give money to the charity, which raises money to improve patient experience at the five London hospitals of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, including the store’s local hospital Charing Cross .
He said: “We are really pleased that they are coming to launch the new store and join in the celebrations with us. My new team and I are looking forward to offering shoppers a clean bright and spacious new store with fast and friendly service.”
The store opens its doors to customers at 10am, and will open seven days a week 7am - 10pm.
It will include a free cash machine, self-service tills, Click & Collect, mobile phone top-up facility, National Lottery counter and Costa Coffee facilities.


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No, we’re not talking about the red carpet, popcorn and the silver screen – okay, you can keep the popcorn if you want. What we are talking about could very well serve as the equivalent of the stars’ silver screen. The “big screen” for businesses this year is widely thought to be video communications, and the proof is in the predictions. For example, Cisco predicted a few years ago that 90 percent of all Internet traffic would be video by 2014 – or in other words, taking place this year. And with companies like Netflix, Skype and other popular Web video services, it looks like we’re right on track to reach these staggering numbers, too.
Today, businesses of all sizes are increasingly turning to mobile video collaboration for a number of reasons – training sessions, interviewing and advertisements only being a few that immediately come to mind. Video is extremely influential and prevalent; it’s no wonder businesses want a piece of this tasty visual pie.
For example, Business 2 Community reported yesterday how small businesses can leverage video marketing strategies for increased productivity, awareness and cost savings. These strategies include landing page intros; customer testimonials; video blogs (vlogs); social media; yelp integration; and product and service descriptions.
About a year ago, I thought I was on the cutting edge of business operations when I was asked to interview for an internship via Skype. But alas, tons of organizations were already one step ahead. One such organization trying to stay ahead of the curve via video is Harvard University. The Ivy League school revealed its plans last October to begin conducting interviews using the video service for its Law School applicants, TMC reported. Even more, with Skype, each interview will be extended to 15 minutes and 200 more applicants will be offered interviews.
Slimming down this process by removing physical presence and wait times will undoubtedly prove advantageous.
Needless to say, enterprise video implementations have far surpassed their traditional limitations of conferencing and collaboration. Video Expert Bob Wallace divulged on this topic last summer, where he wrote that “there’s far more to enterprise use of video than fixed and mobile conferencing.”
Wallace cites video surveillance and in-store marketing as one a couple promising outlets for this rapidly growing market. For example, he explains that well-known cable provider, Comcast, has been pushing to include video surveillance in its bundle of broadband-enabled services. He adds that big names like Walmart and 7-Eleven are also driving sales by utilizing monitors and digital signage strategies.
So it’s not necessarily a question of if - but why enterprise video will explode in 2013. Want to find out more? “Why Enterprise Video Will Explode in 2013” will be presented at ITEXPO Miami 2013 happening this week.
TechZone360 Web Editor
Using a drone for your business, or as a hobby, means complying with requirements which are in constant flux or that you may not know about.
The news this week is that Amazon is going to massively expand their Dash Button program, which hasn't sold well, to include more buttons. This increa…
Wearable fitness devices are growing in popularity, Tech research firm Gartner says that sales will grow by 18.4 percent this year. Over the past seve…
Facebook seems like it is ready to launch a fledgling version of Facebook Live in the near future, Osofsky said. "We have an early beta programm for a…
San Francisco-based Twilio counts Uber, Open Table, and Nordstrom among its customers. In 2015, the company's revenues were around $167 million with a…


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This year, taking advantage of the latest trends requires firm feet on the ground, while working with a good partner to achieve necessary goals….
Go to most boardrooms today and you’ll see less and less people with laptops and more people using tablets and smartphones.
As Android and iOS have firmly cemented themselves into the on-the-move computing via tablets and smartphones, Microsoft is yet to make its cautious leap into the fray. While Microsoft’s Windows 7 operating system still dominates in laptop sales, the truth is that more people are looking to tablets for running around.
Enter Windows 8.
Microsoft has already partnered with Nokia to introduce its smartphone OS to the world, and while the launch has arguably been a bit of a flop, all techies are rather keen to see what Microsoft has to offer tablets later this year.
But browser giants Mozilla and Google are a little up-in-arms by the fact that Microsoft will not be allowing third-party browsers to its tablet platform. Well, sort of. It seems that while you can still install Firefox or Chrome on the tablets, certain APIs will only work via Internet Explorer, giving people a rather dull view of the internet if they’re not using IE.
These two companies have always worked on an “open environment” and want people to have a free choice in what they use to view the web. Well, that’s all nice, until you try to load Internet Explorer onto a Chromebook. What’s good for the goose is surely good for the gander?
Closed-system environments are not exactly new to the consumer. We all saw that when Apple launched the iPhone, and later the iPad. Every single App designed for an Apple product has to go through stringent testing before going live on the Apple AppStore. It’s part of Apple’s philosophy of creating products ‘that always work’. Having been an iPhone user myself since the original iPhone 2G came out, I can attest to that — my iPhone never crashes.
But it also came with a lot of controversy, most notably Apple’s decision not to allow Flash through its browser. Adobe complained bitterly. People speculated whether this was simply not a strategy by Apple to force people to use paid-apps rather than flash-enabled website environments. Self-proclaimed experts said the iPad was doomed because it lacked Flash support. And then it thrived, with web developers quickly dumping flash to create “tablet-friendly” websites.
So is it true then that we as consumers are “locked-in” or forced to use a particular browser, as both Google and Mozilla claim? I hardly think so.
While it’s true that Microsoft may limit its users to Internet Explorer, it doesn’t mean that you, as the consumer, are forced to use an MS tablet at all. If you prefer Chrome, then try Android. If you like Safari, get an iPad.
The point is that while closed-systems do exist the consumer still gets to choose which system he’d like to use.


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Sea Star Line exploring adding Puerto Rico barge service
Sea Star Line, LLC announced Monday its intention to add a weekly container barge service to its existing sailing schedule. The announcement comes about a month after rival Horizon Lines confirmed plans to cease providing liner service to Puerto Rico by the end of 2014.
Sea Star’s container barge service would complement its existing twice-weekly vessel offering with a total additional capacity of 800 40-foot equivalent units. This new service would launch early in 2015.
“Sea Star Line is committed to meeting the needs of Puerto Rico. We know that people depend on the weekly shipments that supply food, medicine, and other commodities,” noted Tim Nolan, president of Sea Star Line.
“We want to ensure that changes happening in the market do not negatively affect daily life in Puerto Rico and are exploring the best options for consistent, reliable service in 2015,” he noted.
Sea Star Line is taking proactive steps to ensure sufficient capacity for cargo in the months ahead. More information will be available as details are finalized in the coming weeks, the company said.
In mid-November, Horizon Lines said it would end cargo services between Puerto Rico and the U.S. mainland after 56 years, citing “continuing losses without the prospect of future profitability.”
The company also announced it had entered into definitive agreements for a series of transactions that would result in the sale of the entire company.